South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"

By Simon Deng & Arich Deng Anyar
The National Ministry of Health said on Tuesday it set up screening and isolation facilities to prevent the spread of the deadly viral Ebola disease following the recent outbreak in neighboring Uganda.
James Hoth Mai, the Minister of Labor who also doubles as the Acting Minster of Health, said they have established screening and isolation facilities at the main Nimule border entry point, Juba International Airport and other points of entry.
“The Ministry of Health has alerted health authorities in Nimule, Juba International Airport, and other points of entry to put in place preparedness and readiness actions, including establishment of screening, and isolation facilities to timely identify suspected cases,” said Hoth at a press conference in Juba.
Hoth urged the public to avoid direct contact with bodily fluids, including urine, blood, sweat, saliva, vomit, and stool from suspected Ebola patients, adding that people should avoid handling bodies of persons dying from Ebola-like symptoms and signs.
In addition, he also called on the public to adhere to regular practice of hand washing with soap and use of hand sanitizers.
Hoth said that the burial of persons suspected to have died from Ebola-like symptoms should be supervised by a designated health team to ensure safe and dignified procedures across the country.
”The public is advised to remain calm and avoid panic, and any person showing signs and symptoms of Ebola should immediately contact the Ministry of Health through the toll-free line 6666 for immediate action,” said Hoth.
Humphrey Karamagi, the Country Representative for the World Health Organization (WHO), said Uganda has so far confirmed four cases of the Sudan Ebola Virus.
The Sudan Ebola Virus is a strain of the Ebola virus that was first identified in Sudan. It’s one of five known subtypes of the Ebola virus.
“I think there are five different subtypes. So the one in Uganda is the Sudan subtype and over 234 people are being followed up in Uganda at present, which really shows how active the team there is on the ground. They have established four contact quarantine centers,” said Karamagi.
Kidiende Chong, the Director General for Preventive Health & Emergency Response in the national ministry of health, said they have directed health authorities at the sub-national level to strengthen surveillance across the country.
“We immediately communicated to all our colleagues at the sub-national level and particularly the States and the counties that are bordering Uganda, to immediately strengthen the surveillance activities that we normally maintain at the point of entry,” said Chong.
Ebola virus disease can be transmitted through human-to-human transmission via direct contact through broken skin or mucous membranes with blood or body fluids of a person who is sick or has died from Ebola.
Ebola Virus disease also presents sudden onset of fever, fatigue, chest pain, diarrhea, vomiting, yellowing of the eyes, restlessness, headaches and unexplained bleeding which often appear in the late stage after the above symptom.